Loop transfer mechanism for knitting machines



Dec. 16, 1958 A. P. sAUNDERs LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March l5, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1958 A. P. SAUNDERS 2,864,247

Loop TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March l5, 1957 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FL'gQZ.

Dec. 16, 1958 A. P. sAUNDr-:Rs

LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March l5, 1957 Dec. 16, 1958 A. P. sAuNDERs LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES v Filed March 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Rg .8. FLgQ'.

Dec. 16, 1958 A. P. sAuNDERs 2,864,247

LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 15, 1957 5 sheets-slheet 5 LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Alfred Percy Saunders, Leicester, England, assigner to 'Wildt and Company Limited, Leicester, England, a vBrit-ish company Application March l5, 1957, Serial No. '646,480

Claims priority, application'Great Britain March V1'6, 1956 19 Claims. l(Cl. 66-24) This invention appertains to knitting machines ofthe kind having two needle beds, and to loop transfer mecha- ,nism for use in such 'machines for effecting transference of knitted loops from the needles of one needle bed to those of the other needle bed during production of knitted fabric as and for purposes well known inthe knitting art.

The invention, moreover, is applicableto two bed knitting lmachines wherein the stems of needles in either or Iboth of the needle beds are made resilient so that the hooked portions of such Ineedles can be deflected laterally either (a) to facilitate transference of knitted loops from the deflected needles to relevant receiving needles in the opposite bed, or (b) to enable lthe deflected needles lto receive knitted loops from relevant transfer-ring needles in the opposed bed.

So far as the transferring needles are concerned, these may, for instance, be of any of the forms disclosed in the Sttes Patent specification of my prior United States Patent 2,249,080

and British Patents 520,417 and 535,162.

yOn the other hand such transferring needles may be of the improved form hereinafter to be described.

It is the intention to apply the invention to knitting machines of the kind concerned wherein -the needles in one bed are moved transversely to those in the other bed. While, in this latter connection, the invention is principally-intended for application to circular knitting machines of the cylinder and dial type, it may also be -app'ied to straight bar machines having two needle beds relatively inclined to each other. f

In prior loop transfer mechanism, the appropriate needles have customarily been deflected by contact with .cam means. For instance, in certain previously proposed mechanisms, a deflector cam, arranged lin such a Way as to oppose a cam for advancing needles, is adapted when the needles are approaching the transferring yposition `to engage the hooks thereof and thereby deflect the needles laterally. In another prior arrangement, deflector cam means are adapted to engage the outer longitudinal edges of the needles to be deflected.

Thus, as will be appreciated, 4in any arrangement employing deflector cam means, lateral deflection of needles `is effected by a dragging action. Such means are accordingly inefficient on fine gauge knittingv machines wherein, by reason of the close spacing of the needles, ldeflection by dragging is foundto be insufficiently accurate.

The object of the present invention is to provide, in or for .a knitting machine of the kind concerned, an improved, simple and efficient loop transfer Vmechanism `designed to effect smooth, positive and accurate deflection of needles at greater machine speeds than have been possible heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to provide needle dellecting means which can be adjusted to a nicety.

'The improved knitted loop transfer mechanism constituting this invention includes `two co-axia-l spur gears which are rotatable tog-ether and are arranged to mesh with needles in .one vneedle -bed of the machine .al 1.0.11- gitudinally spaced points along the stems of these needles, the two axially spaced co-axial gears being so Set rela.- tively that the teeth of the one are `offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the .other suchwise yas to eifectlateral deflection of the hooked portions o'f .engaged needles advanced .from the said bed.

The two co-axial gears are each vfurnished with the same number of teeth, which may vary.

,The circumferential extent of lthe offset ,of .the `teethof one vgear with respect to those of the other corresponds to the lateral distance -which the stems v.of the engaged needles are pushed aside 'by that ,gear which .is disposed nearer tothe heads ofthe needles.

As will be appreciated, were .the teeth of .twosuchcoaxial `,gears tov .be arranged -strictly in alignment, .with .the .spaces `between the teeth also aligned, bot-h gears Awould mesh with V.the needles ,in .the same `wavy `and ,no deflection lwould occur. But, `by virtue of the `two sets of gear teeth .being relatively y:offset Vvas described, `the teeth .of the vgear nearest to the heads .of the engaged needles interfere with vthe needle stems and push ,them aside.

This interference is aknown factor directly Vrela-ted to the degree ,of ,the aforesaid circumferential lolset vof 'the relevant ygear teeth. Accordingly, .by making provision for .relative angular yadjustment ,of the two co-axial gears, the degree of the offset .can be varied to produce a measured interference -with the needle -stems and hence also a known and accurate lateral deflection of Athe needles so that either (i) the hooks of receiving needles in the opposing hed can with certainty be projected through, i. e., caused to penetrate, knitted loops held by the rdeflected (in thisxcase transferring) needles, or v(-iis) the hooks of `the deflected :needles can be accurately :positioned for receiving knitted 'loops yfrom undeected transferring needles inthe opposing bed.

Of the two co-axial spur gears, one of them'zis arranged to `he Idriven by the needles with which ,it meshes, whilst the other, i. e., the needle interfering, gear is rotatedfrom the said `driven gear. Accordingly, as ,each needle'in turn engages the rotating gears :one `side of `the .stem lof the needle abuts against and Yis :supported by a `tooth 'of the driven gear, whilst the corresponding offset tooth ,of

. the interfering gear contacts the side of -:the needley and taking place pushes the latter sideways, the .deflection from the point of support.

The appropriate ,side Yof each .tooth .of the interfering gear is so shaped, e.. g., outwardly curved, .as 'to avoid presenting edges yand marked protu'berances lto lthe needles, in this -way smooth deflection ofthe .engaged needles is ensured.

The two co-axial spur gears may conveniently tbe initially separate and so formed as to be adapted to provide, when assembled together, acentrally bored unit 'for mounting upon an axle about which the gears are to rotate.v In this case, two complementary formations 'on the respective interengaged gears may be yso `shaped vas to provide for a limited degree of relative angular movement betweenthe two gears, and set screws provided in one of vthese formations may be `arranged for contact with the other forma tion whereby the required degree to which the teeth-of one gear are offset circumferentially with respect "to the teeth of the other gear can .be accurately determined and set. v

In a convenient embodiment of `the invention, .the afone mentioned axle about which Vthe gears rrotate is `mounted in a bracket which is movable :into and out .of 1an operative position wherein .the gears mesh with the :needles Ain `the appropriate bed. That is to say, whenever the said bracket is moved into its operative position, Vthe stems of fthe needles in the Ybed concerned will engage and push upon the teeth of the driven gear and will, in turn, be'contacted and pushed aside by the teeth of the associated interfering gear. Conversely, whenever'the bracket is withdrawn to its inoperative position, the gears will be moved away from and clear of the needles-none of which will then be deflected.` Thus, by suitable automatic control of the movements of the bracket, the needle dellecting gears can act on some or all of the needles in one of the needle beds. Thus, all of the needles of the set, or merely desired ones Vof such needles may be individually deflected seriatim, according to loop transfer requirements.

Preferably, the bracket is spring controlled, being normally held out of its operative position against the spring action by a catch or the like and being releasable for movement into its operative position Vunder the spring action by displacement of the said catch or the like. In such an arrangement, when the unit is in operation, the gears are capable of yielding outwardly, i. e., in a direction away from the engaged needle stems. g

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific constructional example thereof embodying the foregoing and other features as applied to a circular knitting machine of the cylinder and dial type will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of as much of the knitting head of the said'machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the invention thereto,

' Figure 2 is a general perspective view of the two coaxial spur gears shown meshing with cylinder needles which are in the course of being raised by a transfer cam to transfer knitted loops to dial needles,

A Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the gears but also, in chain lines, a portion of the bracket in which the gear axle is mounted,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the two gears shownexploded fashion, prior to assembly,

Figure 5 comprises separated plan views of the two co-axial gears drawn in relation to a common centre line to show the relative setting of the said gears,

Figure 6 is a developed view, as seen from the inside of the cylinder cam box or shell, of two adjoining sections of the cylinder cam system of the knitting machine illustrated in Figure l,

Figure 7 comprises underside plan views of two adjoining sections of the dial cam cap of the machine corresponding to the two cylinder cam sections illustrated in Figure 6,

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective front and rear views re spectively of an improved form of transferring needle suitable for use in the cylinder of the said machine,

Figures 10 and 11 are two similar views showing a modification of this needle, i

Figure 12 is a detail perspectiveview showing lateral deflection of the hooked portion of a cylinder needle during transference of a knitted loop from the latter to a dial needle,

Figure 13 is a somewhat similar detail perspective view but this time showing lateral deflection of a cylinder needle to facilitate transference of a knitted loop from a dial needle to the said cylinder needle, and

Figure 14 is a further detail perspective view of the co-axial gears as seen from the back, and shows more clearly the manner in which the hooked portion of a cylinder needle is laterally deected for either of the purposes hereby described.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

In Figure 1, the stationary needle cylinder of the illustrated machine is indicated at 1 and the stationary dial at 2. The rotary cylinder cam box or shell and the rotary dial cam cap are depicted at 3 and 4 respectively. The numeral 5 indicates a cylinder needle and at 6 is shown a dial needle.

For advancing cylinder needles selectively, and so determining which of these needles is to be raised to transfer height during transference of knitted loops from the said needles to opposed dial needles, there is provided at a transfer station TS a needle selecting unit indicated generally at 7 in Figure 1. This well known type of unit, illustrated purely diagrammatically, comprises an intermittently rotatable drum furnished with pre-arranged pins or bits 8, and an associated bank of selectively actuated selector slides 9. These slides are arranged for action, according to patterning requirements upon appropriate butted elements 10 which are mounted in the cylinder tricks or grooves 1a in front of springy lower extensions 11a of jacks 11 provided for raising cylinder needles selectively at required times. At its lower extremity the springy extension 11a of each of the jacks 11 is formed with a butt 11b. Normally, the said springy extensions 11a are outwardly splayed away from the bottoms of the tricks or grooves 1a, so that their butts 11b are clear of jack-raising cams such as the raising cam 12 at the transfer station TS in Figure 6. However, as and when a selector slide 9 is pushed in by a drum pin or bit 8 so that it acts upon a butt 10a of an element 10, that particular element, and hence also the springy extension 11a with which it is associated, will be pressed in against the springy action suchwise as to displace the butt 11b of the relevant jack into the path of a jackrais ing cam such as 12. Cylinder needles 5 corresponding to spring jacks 11 which are selectively raised at a transfer station TS will be elevated to an extent sufficient for their knitting butts 5a to be landed on to a transfer cam 13 provided in the transfer section 3a of the cylinder cam box or shell 3 (see Figure 6) by means of which cam the said needles are raised to the transfer height shown in Figure 12. The knitting butts 5a of non-selected cylinder needles, Whose jacks 11 are not raised by the cam 12, pass beneath the transfer cam 13. Each of selected cylinder needles raised to transfer height as just described transfers a knitted loop such as that indicated at L in Figure 12 to an opposed dial needle 6. After being advanced to transfer height, cylinder needles are immediately retracted by engagement of their butts 5a with a depressor cam 14. To enable the relevant dial needles to receive loops from selected cylinder needles 5, all of such dial needles are partially advanced to the position shown in Figure 12 by engagement of their butts 6a with an outwardly shaped cam portion 15 of a cam track within a transfer section 4a of the dial cam cap 4 (see Figure 7).

It is also possible within the scope of this invention, to effect transference of knitted loops from dial needles 6 to cylinder needles. Indeed, in Figure 13 a loop L is shown in the course of being so transferred. To enable such transference to take place, a transfer section 4a of the dial cam cap 4 is, as shown in Figure 7, fitted with a transfer cam 16 which, by action on butts 6b of the dial needles 6 advances the latter to the transfer position occupied by the particular dial needle depicted in Figure 13. After being advanced for this purpose the dial needles are thereupon immediately retracted to their original inoperative, i. e., withdrawn, positions by engagement of their butts 6a with a cam 17. To enable them to receive loops from dial needles, cylinder needles 5 are partially raised, to the height shown in Figure 13, by action of the cam 16, on their knitting butts 5a.

In either case, and in accordance with well known practice, retraction of a transferring needle immediately following advance thereof to a transfer position enables the loop being transferred to be left on the receiving needle.

It is convenient here to mention that in Figures 6 and 7 knitting sections of the cylinder cam box or shell 3 and the dial cam cap 4, adjoining the transfer sections 3a and 4a thereof, are indicated at 3b and 4b respectively.

Now whether knitted loops are to be transferred from selected .cylinder needles `-to relevant `'dial needles, .or from dial needles to -eylinder needles as :hereinbefore described, -it .is .necessaryin eithericase fer :cylinderrneedlesto be accurately .deilected laterally in the rst ease Ato facilitate -the transference of .loops rfrom :the k deflected .cylinder needles to receiving dial needles, and in ,the second case to enable :the deliected cylinder ineedles .to receive loops from the transferring kdial needles. Accordingly, :the con- .structional ,example `of the 'needle-deeeting .means .embodied `in the sloop transfer mechanism now vto be de- :scribed -vis associated with the stationary needle cylinder.

The -said means, as :illustrated more clearly in Figures 1-5, comprise ,co-axial spur gears 19 and 20 'which ,are 'arranged .to revolve about ;a yvertical axle 121 :set in suitablj spaced upper and .lower rrhorizontal :limbs 22a .and i.

22b .of a .forked "portion of :a :bracket 22. This bracket, fas xshown in Figures `1 :and i2, :is mounted vfor swivelling movement .about a vertical -fulcrurnscrew 23 screwed Sinto thetop'of a .transfersection 3a of the rotary cylinder cam box .n1-shell .3. If desired, and as shown, thefulcrum screw maybe .mounted iin a ibloek'24'which ,\is:eombined with, :andadjustable longitudinally ywith respect to, a horizontally extending base portion 122e .of zthe swivelling :bracket 22. ln any `event there .is .provided von :the `:top

"of the bottom `,cam box :section 3a, .at `the louter side of the bracket 22, an upstanding `lug 25 tapped to lreceive .an adjusting screw 126 (Figure 2) the -inner Vleading end .of-which acts on a comparatively strong compression vspring ,27 interposed between .the inner side of the lug ,25 and the opposed .outer side .of .the bracket 22. Whenever permitted, therefore, `the bracket 22 swings -inwards into its operative position `under .the influence -of the compression-:spring 27.. With the -bracket 22 in this `posit-ion, vthe teeth of Vthe co-axial .gears .19 .and Z0 mesh with the stems ofthe 'cylinder needles 5. By ran adjustment of the .screw 26 within the '.upstanding lug 2S, `the effective strength -of the compression spring 27 can the varied to vary correspondingly, within fine limits, .the depth .to which `the teeth -of the gears l19 and ..20 mesh with .the needles 5. For turning the :swivelling bracket 22 `outwands away from the rotary cylinder r1, .against the action of the .compression spring 27, Yand thereby .rendering .the .gears 19 `and 20 inoperative, there yis provided, vas illustrated :in Figures 1 .and 2, a two-armed .lever 28 which lies flat .upon the .top of zthe cylinder cam box .section l3u and is mounted to .turn .about .a fulcrum screwy 29 .screwed into the section. One arm 28a of this lever extends-:alongside the inner face .of the base portion of .the :bracket 22, whilst the other arm .28.b .extends outwardly over the top and .clear of .the cylinder team 'box .or .shell 3. .Adjacent to the outwardly extending armZSb of the .lever 28,1here is provided, also on the top .of 4the cam box .sect-ion 3a, -a pivoted `catch .3D having .a nose 30a .adapted to engage behind Va pin .'31 on the lever 28 for the Ypurpose of .locking the latter with the bracket `inits withdrawn .posit-ion. The pivoted catch 3 0 .iis `arranged .to .turn about a fulcrum screw 32 which 'is .screwed into the top .of the ,cam box vsection 3a, and :is .influenced by a .tensionA spring 33 one end of which is ,anchored to .the catch 3 0 whilst the l.opposite end is similarly anchored to the .outwardly extending arm 28b of the `two-armed lever 28.- Thus, whenever this lever is acted upon and turned Vto withdraw the swivel- Iing bracket .'22 against the action of lthe compression spring '27 the pivoted catch 30 will `also be .turned until 'its nose 30a Ysnaps into ,position behind the ,pin A3:1.Y To :release the Vbracket 22 and so permit the co-.axial gears 19 and 2.0 to move into mesh with the needles 5, .under the influence vof the compression spring 27, the pivoted catch 30 is acted upon to trip it out of engagement with the Ypin 31. Intermediate connections of vany suitable vcharacter, actuated yat required (times from a :control .unit are .provided .for :action upon .the :lever .28 and the rcatch 30. .A specicfexampleiof such :connections .will be hereinafter described.

The lower horizontal spur 'gear -1'9 which is 'to'be drivthetop of the driven gear 19isasmall/lug 19d (Figures, 4 and 5) which is spaced apart `from .the formation 19C` and is tapped in -`the radial `direction Vto receive Aa screw 3S .used for a purpose vvpresently Ito .be described. The -up- .per needle interfering gear VV20 is also formed with Ytwenty four .deliector teeth 20a, but v,instead of each tooth being of normal involute y.form one of Ythe ,sides of the v toothis Vcut back a little andnicely rounded, all as .sho-wn in Figure 5. AThe .deflector `teeth may, however, also vbe `of .involute iform. .Projecting l dow-n from .the .undersideof the interfering gear l2.0 is an integral, mainly rectangular .blocklb which, however., .has :rounded ends vand* is .tapped .as indicated .at 20c at .opposite :sides .of the kaxis .of the -gear .to receive Atwo ,adjustment .screws 36. The vertical side face 20d of .the block 20b through which yface the 'leading .ends .of fthe adjustment screws 36 protrude when these 4are .screwed in suiiciently far is `not quite hat but .slopes back slightly in opposite directions from the `centre of `the face .as shown .most .clearly iin Figure 5,. TLX- ,tending down from .the bottom of kthe .block 2Gb is-a boss e which :is concentric with the axis of the gear 20 and is ,centrally bored. The bore .in the boss 20e continues upwards right rthrough .the block '2Gb and .the .superposed .needle interfering gear 20 to receive the ver-tical axle The end portions -of vthe `axle `are located in aligned fholeS formed jin the spacedhorizontal limbs 22a yand ,22h

of 'the'forked portion ofthe bracket A22. .When `the Ldriven and the interfering Agears ..19 and V20 are assembled together, the 'bored boss v20e projecting down from the interfering gear '20 is accommodated in the central .aperlture '34 in .the driven Ygear v19, `and the side face '20d .of .the block'having the oppositely sloping surfaces opposes the flat inner face of the segmental-shaped formation 19e.

The fact that 'the said side face of the block is sloped back as .described vpermits a vlimited .degree of relative angilar adjustment of .the two gears. The relative disposition of the teeth '19a and 20a'of the co-axial gears '19 and '20 is determined by appropriate adjustments of thetwo screws 36 in the block 20h, and these screws are used to set the 'gears in .their adjusted positions relatively to each other. But 'by virtue of vthe pressure Vexerted by the screws 36 upon the segmental-shaped formation 19C, 'there jis 1a tendency for ,the driven gear 19 to 'be pushed outof :strict concentricity 'with respect to the needle-interfering gear 20. This tendency can 'be obviated, and the two gears restoredto the necessary concentric condition, by screwing in the screw y35 so that it .presses 'laterally 4upon theblock l20h. The two gears 19 and `20 are'freely rotatable about the axle 21 in vthe space between the two l-hori'zonta'l llimbs 22a and 22b of the bracket 22. The top 'face of the upper, i. e., the needle-interfering, gear 20 is -disposed Lin a "horizontal plane .just below the lbits 38 -of lt'he cylinder verge.

The 'manner in which the gears 19 and 2t) function to `deflect the stems o-f cylinder needles 5 will be apparent from Figure 5. In this iigure the chain line 39 is common to both of the separately shown gears 19 and 20, Vand lby comparing the disposition of the teeth 19a with the disposition of the 'teeth 20a both in relation to this line it is possible to appreciate the degree to which the teeth yof the one set are circumferentially offset with 'respect to the `teeth of the other set. Thus, assuming the vtwo gears tobe rotating -anti-clockwise as shown in Figure 5, the needle stern 5b, shown in cross-section, will be pushed aside `to the right from, say, a position on the chain line 39 (where the saidstem meshes with the teeth 19a -of the driven gear 19) to va position at the right-'hand 7 side of the line to which it is deected by the tooth 20a of the gear 20 nearest to the hook of the needle.

A typical extent to which the stem of a cylinder needle is laterally deected will also be appreciated by comparing the relative positions of teeth 19a and 20a with respect to the line 40 in each of Figures 12 and 13. Then again in Figure 14 the deflection of a needle is shown in relation to a vertical line 41.

In association with, and located above, the co-axial gears 19 and 20 just described, there may be provided, as shown in Figure 2, a fixed guide plate 42 an end portion 42a of which is adapted to hold down fabric whilst cylinder needles such as those indicated at 51, 52, 53 and 54 are being advanced to transfer their loops to dial needles 6. Towards its opposite end the plate 42 has thereon an outwardly protuberant or bulging cam surface 42b adapted to act upon the backs of the cylinder needles 5 suchwise as to cant these needles outwardly and enable them not only to clear the cylinder verge bits 38, but also to stretch and enlarge the knitted loops L, thereby enabling the hooks 6c of the receiving dial needles 6 to penetrate and receive the said loops. In this way, dial and cylinder needles are enabled to disengage from one another during a loop transferring operation, at the same time leaving transferred loops in the hooks of the relevant dial needles. The end portion of the plate 42 immediately adjoining the bulging cam surfaces 42b is recessed at 42e to permit the outwardly canted needles to move inwardly again. The portion 42d of the guide plate 42 between the portion 42a and the bulging surface 42b is of such a thickness as to enable advanced cylinder needles such as those indicated at 55 and 56 in Figure 2 to be back in their tricks. The guide plate 42 may conveniently be secured by screws 42 to the peripheral edge of the section 4a of the dial cap 4, provision being made for circumferential adjustment of the plate.

-Now in loop transfer mechanisms of the kind concerned, the stem of each of the transferring needles is customarily recessed or relieved at one side to reduce the thickness of the needle and thereby facilitate lateral exure thereof. Heretofore, the recess has extended transversely right across the full width of the needle. For the purpose of the present invention, however it is important that the full thickness of the front edge of the stem 5b of each cylinder needle 5 (which edge is engaged by the co-axial spur gears 19 and 20) shall be maintained throughout, thereby maintaining absolute accuracy of the lateral deflection of the needle. For this reason, and as shown more clearly in each of Figures 8 and 10, the fronts 44a of the recesses 44 in the sides of the cylinder needles stop short of the front edges of the latter so that only back portions of the needle stems immediately adjoining the rear edges are reduced in thickness as depicted in Figures 9 and 1l.

The transfer cylinder needles may in appropriate cases be bowed or bulged laterally as represented at 5c (Figures 8 and 9) to provide clearance for the receiving dial needles 5 to enter the loops L to be transferred prior to receiving such loops. But in fine gauge machines where the extent of lateral deliection of the transfer needles can only be very small, it is preferred that the appropriate portion 5a of the stem 5b of each of needles 5 shall be tlat at one side (see Figure 10) in which instance the required clearance for a receiving dial needle is provided by recessing the opposite side of the stem as illustrated at 5e in Figure 1l so that the thickness of the front edge of the stem is maintained and the deepest part of the recess immediately adjoins the rear edge of the stem which is straight in contra-distinction to being bowed.

The means and the connections for actuating and controlling the lever 28 and the associated catch 30 will now be described with reference to Figure l. In this figure it will be seen that there is provided at a relatively xed location on the outside of the rotating cam box structure of the machine, antintermittently rotatable control drum 45. This drum is fitted with rows of prearranged pegs 46 which are located in two horizontal planes occupied also by a pair of superimposed strikers 47 and 48. These strikers, which may conveniently be spring inuenced or equivalently biassed, are represented in purely diagrammatic fashion and without the comb provided for supporting and guiding them. They may, for instance, consist of slide-levers. vIn any event, the lower striker 47 is provided for striking the arm 28b of the lever 28, whilst the upper striker 48 is for similar action upon the pivoted catch 30. The strikers are acted upon directly by the drum pegs 46, and are themselves adapted for action directly upon the lever 28 and the catch 30.

The control drum 45 is arranged to be driven, one or more racks at a time, according to patterning requirements, from the rotating cam box structure at the dictates of a timing chain 49 furnished with studs 50. There is secured to the bottom of the drum 45 a ratchet wheel 51 arranged to co-operate with a pawl 52. The said pawl is pivotally mounted upon a lever 53 arranged for oscillatory motion about the vertical axis 54. For imparting operative strokes to the lever 53 through the medium of a further lever 55 rigidly connected therewith, there is provided a continuously reciprocable slide 56 furnished with a roller 57 which is acted upon by a cam 58 carried by the rotating cam box structure. The lever 55 carries an adjustable abutment screw 59 for contact by the slide 56. But although the slide reciprocates continuously, the lever 55, and hence also the pawl lever 53, are normally held quiescent by a latching lever 60. Thus, with the operative nose 60a of the latching lever 60 normally in engagement with a catch-piece 61 combined with the lever 55, the pawl 52 is held inoperative and prevented from racking round the drum 45. The catch-piece 61 is, however, displaceable by each of a series of the studs 50 on the timing chain 49. Whenever the catch-piece is displaced in this way to disengage it from the latching lever 60, the lever 55 is released to be acted upon by the slide 56 as a consequence of which an operative, i. e., forward, stroke is imparted to the pawl 52 and the drum 45 is, therefore, racked round to the extent of one step. As, however, the pawl lever makes its reverse stroke, the latching lever 60 automatically re-engages the catchpiece 61. Accordingly, a succession of racks of the control drum 45 can only be achieved by a succession of chain studs 50 acting on the catch-piece 61 seriatim.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, knitting needles operating in said beds, the needles in at least one of said beds having stems which are flexible to the extent of permitting of lateral deection of the hooked portions of said needles when knitted loops are being transferred from the needles of one bed to those of the opposed bed, means for advancing the needles having flexible stems from the relevant bed dur ing such a transference of loops, and two co-axial spur gears which are rotatable together and are adapted to mesh with said iiexible needles at longitudinally spaced points along the stems thereof, the said two gears being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other suchwise as to effect lateral deflection of the hooked portions of engaged needles advanced from the said relevant bed.

2. A combination according to claim l, wherein the said two co-axial gears are each furnished with the same number of teeth.

3. A combination according to claim 1, which includes means for angularly adjusting the said two co-axial gears whereby the degree of the circumferential offset of the relevant gear teeth can be varied to produce a known lateral deflection of the appropriate needles.

4. In a knitting machine, in combination, two opposed needle beds, knitting needles operating in said beds, the needles inat least one of said beds having stems which are exible to the extent of permitting ofV lateral deection of the hooked portions of said needles, when knitted loops are being transferred fromthe needles of one bed to those of the opposed bed, means for advancing the needles having flexible stems from the relevant bed during such a transference of loops, and two co-axial spur gears arranged to mesh with the flexible needles at longitudinally spaced points along the stems thereof, the said two gears being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other so that the offset teeth interfere with the stems of the said flexible needles, and the said needle interfering gear being rotated from the companion gear which latter is driven by the-needles with which it meshes, the arrangement being such that as each advancing exible needle, during transference of knitted loops engages the rotating gears one side of the stem of such needle abuts against and is supported by a tooth of the driven gear whilst the corresponding offset tooth of the interfering gear contacts the said needle and pushes the latter sideways, the deflection taking place from the point of support.

5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein the appropriate side of each offset tooth of the needle interfering gear is so cut back and outwardly curved as to avoid presenting edges and protuberances to the flexible needles.

6. A combination according to claim 4, including a bracket furnished with an axle upon which the two coaxial gears are mounted for rotation.

7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein the bracket is movable into and out of an operative position in which the gears mesh with the flexible needles in the appropriate bed so that whenever the bracket is moved into its operative position the stems of the flexible needles will engage and push upon the teeth of the driven gear and will be contactedA and pushed aside by the off set teeth of the needle interfering gear, whereas whenever the bracket is withdrawn to its inoperative position the gears will be moved away and clear of the needles none of which will then be deflected.

8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein the bracket is spring controlled, being normally held out of its operative position against the spring action by a catch and being releasable for movement into its operative position under the spring action by displacement of the said catch.

9.A combination according to claim 8, wherein the bracket is controlled by a compression spring and is mounted for swivelling movement upon a part provided with a protuberance housing an adjusting screw, this screw acting on the compression spring and the latter being interposed between the protuberance and the bracket so that by an adjustment of the screw the strength of the compression spring can be varied to vary correspondingly the depth to which the teeth of the gears mesh with needles.

10. For use in a knitting machine of the kind herein referred to equipped with means for` eecting transference of knitted loops from needles in one needle bed to needles in the opposed needle bed, a gear unit com- .prising two co-axial spur gears which are rotatable together and are adapted to mesh with needles in one of such beds, the said two gears being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other, for the purpose herein described. I

11. A gear unit according to claim 10, wherein one of the gears has regularly shaped involute teeth, and the other gear is furnished with teeth each of which has one of its sides cut back and rounded.

12. A gear unit according to claim l0, wherein the two co-axial gears are initially separate and are so formed as to provide, when assembled together, a unit which is centrally bored.

10 13. A gear unit according to claim 12, wherein two co-operating formations on the respective assembled gears are so shaped and dimensioned as to provide for a limited degree of relative angular movement between the two,

gears, and screws provided in one of the saidforrnations are arranged for contactwith the other formation in. such a way that by adjustment of the screws, the degree to which the teeth of one gear are olset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other gear can be varied.

14. A gear unit according to claim 13, wherein one of the gears is centrally apertured and pro-vided with a projecting 4segmental-shaped .formation having an inner. flat face, and the other gear is furnished withv ablock tapped at opposite sides 'of the axisv of the' gear to re-` ceive two adjustment screws, the face of the block through which the leading ends of the said screws protrude when they are screwed in sufficiently far sloping back in opposite directions from the centre of said face and opposing the inner flat face ofthe segmental-shaped formation, and the said block being combined with a bored boss which is accommodated in the central aperture in the first mentioned gear.

15. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a cylinder, needles working in said cylinder, an associated dial, needles working in said dial, said cylinder needles being transfer needles having stems which are flexible to the extent of permitting lateral deflection of hooked portions of said needles, cam means associated with the cylinder for advancing cylinder needles to transfer height and thereafter retracting the same, other cam means associated with the dial for partially advancing dial needles to receive knitted loops from advanced cylinder needles as the latter are retracted, and two co-axial spur gears which are rotatable together and are adapted to mesh with cylinder needles at longitudinally spaced points along the stems thereof, the said two gears 'being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect tothe teeth of the other so as to effect lateral deflection of the hooked portions of the engaged cylinder needles as these are advanced to transfer knitted loops thereon to dial needles.

16. A combination according to claim 15, which includes a guide plate a portion of which is adapted to hold down fabric whilst cylinder needles are being advanced to transfer loops to dial needles.

17. A combination according to claim 16, wherein the said guide plate has thereon a protuberant cam surface adapted to act upon the cylinder needles suchwise as to cant these needles outwardly and thereby stretch and enlarge knitted loops thereon for easy penetration by receiving dial needles.

18. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a cylinder, needles working in said cylinder, an associated dial, needles working in said dial, said dial needles being transfer needles and the stems of the cylinder needles being flexible to the extent of permitting lateral deflection of hooked portions of said cylinder needles, cam means associated with the dial for advancing dial needles to transfer position and thereafter retracting the same, other cam means associated with the cylinder for partially advancing cylinder needles to receive knitted loops for advanced dial needles as the latter are retracted, and two co-axial spur gears which are rotatable together and are adapted to mesh with cylinder needles at longitudinally spaced points along the stems thereof, the said two gears being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other so as to effect lateral deflection of the hooked portions of the engaged cylinder needles and thereby prepare them to receive knitted loops from dial needles.

19. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a cylinder, a set of needles working in said cylinder, said cylinder needles having stems which are flexible to the extent of permitting lateral deflection of hooked portions of said needles, adial, a set of needles working in said l1 dial, cam means associated both with the cylinder and the dial for advancing and retracting cylinder and dial needles during transference of knitted loops from the needles of one set to needles of the other set, two c0- axial spur gears which are rotatable together and are adapted to mesh with cylinder needles at longitudinally spaced points along the stems thereof, the said two gears being so set relatively that the teeth of the one are offset circumferentially with respect to the teeth of the other so as to effect lateral deflection of the hooked portions of the engaged cylinder needles and thereby facilitate transference of knitted loops as aforesaid, a swivelling bracket, an axle carried by said bracket and about which the said co-axial gears rotate, said bracket Ibeing turnable into and out of an operative position in which the gears mesh with the cylinder needles, a spring controlling the bracket and urging it towards the cylinder, a lever for turning the bracket outwardly away from the cylinder against the spring action, a catch for engaging said lever in the position required for holding the bracket in its inoperative position, movable strikers for actuating the lever and the catch, a rotary unit from which the strikers are controlled, means operated from the machine for racking round the said control unit a step at a time, and a timing member dictating the times when the said unit is racked.

No references cited. 

